Baseball is that sport that can be one's undoing. Texas Tech certainly contributed to that theory this weekend, going into the weekend in the Top Ten, slipped after two losses to Texas and now ranks depending on the poll somewhere between 13 to 16 in the poll. To make matters worse, Texas (19-21 on the season) "run-ruled" Tech (31-12) in the final game, 17 - 1.
Since this is a devotion meant to build up men, the intended audience, my thoughts that raced through my head as I watched the debacle will remain just there, in my head. There is no reason to share some of the things that ran through my mind, on a Sunday after church no less, possibly undoing all that may have been gained that morning. ("Losing my religion" I believe is what that is called.) Naturally, turning to the Houston Astros for relief just puts me further in debt because they lost to Boston in extra innings, placing them further in the cellar.
David in one of his psalms describes the intimacy we enjoy with God, and yet it is an intimacy that exposes even our deepest thoughts we may not reveal to one another, like my displeasure with the teams I follow, and in a more serious tone, even deeper and less God-pleasing thoughts than that. "O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether." (Psalm 139)
God knows what is on our hearts and in our minds. Our joy, our sadness, our thoughts meant to build him up, and our thoughts that tear down. Our thoughts are not kept in secrecy in our relationship with God. He knows them.
We pray a prayer of thanks for this intimacy. We know that the Holy Spirit "helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." (Romans 8:26)
Hope Men's Ministry
No comments:
Post a Comment